How Often Should You Cut Your Hair?
A lot goes into keeping your hair healthy: from the products you use to the vitamins you take to how often you cut or trim your hair. Everyone needs to see their barber now and then, but how frequently you need to go depends on a lot of factors.
Let’s talk about how often you should get a cut, how you know it’s time for a trim, and how seeing your barber can make your hair healthier.
What’s the Difference Between a Trim and a Haircut?
While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, there is a difference between a haircut and a trim.
A trim typically takes off between one quarter to one half an inch of hair and won’t add volume or change the overall shape of your hair. It simply removes any split ends or damage, giving your hair a nice refresh.
A haircut, on the other hand, takes off more than half an inch and gives your locks a new shape. For instance, going from long hair to a bob or medium-length hair to a pixie cut.
Does Trimming Your Hair Make It Grow Longer?
Regular haircuts and trims don’t actually make your hair grow longer since it grows from the root. But a cut or trim does help remove any fragile or damaged ends, which stops split ends from splitting even further up the hair shaft and weakening your hair. This helps keep your hair strong, allowing for more healthy hair growth.
How to Know When it’s Time for a Haircut
Wondering how often you should cut your hair? While there’s nothing wrong with following the rule of seeing your barber every six to eight weeks, you may need to go more or less frequently, depending on your hair length, texture and style.
However, there are a few signs that it’s time for a trim no matter what:
- Your hair is visibly damaged. Split or uneven ends and breakage are all signs that it’s time to get a haircut.
- Your hair styling routine takes longer. If you find yourself spending more time doing your hair to get it to look “just right”, that’s a sign you have some extra length that’s throwing off your routine. A trim or cut will get you back to your usual styling routine.
- It has lost its shape and volume. Is your hair falling flat? If so, it’s probably time for a trim. Removing damaged ends and reestablishing your layers will restore your hair’s shape and volume.
- You notice extra frizz. While frizz can be caused by a lot of things, such as humidity or dryness, it can also come from damage. Trimming off the damaged ends should help reduce frizz.
- Your hair is tangling more easily, especially at the bottom. Again, damaged ends can contribute to tangling and knots. Detangling hair often causes more damage, starting a vicious cycle. A fresh cut will make your hair easier to manage and reduce damage.
How Often You Should Cut Your Hair
Like we mentioned, how often you should cut your hair depends on quite a few factors. Here is a quick guide on how frequently you need to get a trim based on your hair type, length and style. If you have additional questions or concerns about how often you should cut your hair, we recommend asking your stylist at your next appointment.
Short Hair
Typically, the shorter your hair, the more often you’ll need a trim. On average, hair grows half an inch per month, so one month of growth is extremely noticeable on short hair. Short hair, above your shoulders, should be trimmed every 3-6 weeks to maintain its shape.
Medium-Length Hair
If you have medium-length hair, or hair that hangs between your shoulders and armpits, you can get a trim as infrequently as 3-4 times per year. This all depends on how healthy your hair is, however. If you regularly color your hair, use heat styling tools or have lots of layers, you’ll likely need a cut more often.
Long Hair
Long hair is defined as hair that has grown past your armpits. When your locks get this long, it’s time to go in for more frequent trims. Longer hair is more fragile, which leads to more serious hair breakage too. Getting the ends of your hair trimmed every 8 weeks or so will keep your hair looking healthy.
Curly Textured Hair
Those with curly, textured or coily hair can go as long as six months without a cut or trim. Since this hair texture is a bit more forgiving in the shape and style departments, and many people with curly hair do not use heat styling tools, it can go much longer without a trim. But if you notice your hair's health or curl pattern is changing or the shape is not to your liking, it’s time for a snip.
Straight Hair
Unlike curly hair, damage and lack of shape is extremely visible on straight hair. A trim every month or two (4-8 weeks) will keep your straight hair looking sleek and healthy.
Fine Hair
Fine hair is more fragile than coarse hair, which means more frequent trims are necessary to keep damage under control. If you have fine hair, getting a trim every 4-6 weeks will keep your hair it’s healthiest.
Thick or Coarse Hair
Since thick hair is stronger than fine or thin hair, you can go longer between trims, possibly even a few months. But thick hair can get unruly and may need to be trimmed every six to eight weeks. If you see the signs of damage we mentioned above, it’s time for a cut.
Bangs
Bangs are high maintenance and should be trimmed as frequently as every two weeks to maintain their shape and length.
Layers
Hairstyles with a lot of layers require more frequent trimming to keep their shape. Aim for a refresh every 8-12 weeks. If your hair is shorter, stay closer to the eight-week mark, but if you have longer layers, you can go closer to twelve weeks without a trim.
Tips for Healthy Hair Between Cuts
There are several ways to keep your hair healthy between visits to your barber. Here are a few of our top tips:
- Limit the use of heat styling tools. Repeatedly exposing your hair to direct heat from tools like straighteners and curling irons wears down your hair’s protective layer, leading to major breakage. To keep your hair its healthiest while using styling tools, apply a heat protectant to reduce the amount of damage.
- Deep condition regularly. When hair gets dry, it becomes more prone to breakage. To keep your hair moisturized, apply a deep conditioner once a week.
- Color carefully. The chemicals used in hair dye will damage and weaken your hair. This is especially true if you bleach your hair or use box dye from the store. Limit the number of times per year you color your hair and opt for professional dye jobs to keep your hair healthier.
- Don't rinse with hot water. While there's nothing like a hot shower, washing your hair with hot water every day can irritate your scalp and weaken your hair. Instead, rinse with cold water to seal the cuticle and boost shine.
Trust Your Hair to Mr. Winston’s
Looking for the best haircut in Dallas? Look no further. Mr. Winston’s is your neighborhood barber shop, redefined. With a full suite of hair cut and grooming services at both of our Dallas locations, we’ll help keep you looking your best. Book your appointment today.
